Suzit Kumar Das

Spoilage, rainfall and dwindling stocks push wholesale prices sharply higher

Nine villages affected as the Padma and Arial Khan wash away homes, roads and farmland, forcing families to relocate

An old shoulder bag hangs from her side. Her faded clothes bear the marks of years on the road, and dust clings to her feet. Whether in the alleys of Faridpur town, at shrines, along the riverbank or at cultural events, 65-year-old Laili Begum blends in effortlessly.

Nader Ali Mondal, a farmer from Jadurchar village in Kurigram’s Roumari upazila, expanded jute cultivation from eight to 10 bighas this season after earning good returns last year. But heavy rainfall during April and May reduced yields, and he now fears losses.

There was a time when she sang on the streets for a living. Whatever she earned from passersby was just enough to keep hunger at bay. But fate took a dramatic turn in January 1981, when a chance encounter with the late poet and former Bangladesh Betar director Fazle-e-Khoda transformed her life, introducing her raw talent to the nation.

Rapid spoilage from heat and rain, and a chronic shortage of storage facilities have combined to push farmers in major producing regions of Pabna and Faridpur deep into losses this season, following record yields.

Rapid spoilage from heat and rain, and a chronic shortage of storage facilities have combined to push farmers in major producing regions of Pabna and Faridpur deep into losses this season, following record yields.

Arif Islam, an expatriate working in Malaysia, had been away from home for the past few years. When he finally landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Monday night, his mother, sister and younger brother were waiting outside to receive him.